What Secrets Does the Forest Hold?

The stunning news in spring 2005 that the ivory billed woodpecker, long-believed extinct, was still alive in the swamps of Arkansas brought hope that miracles can still happen, and a reminded that nature still holds many secrets for us. Immediately, I began researching the bird, and received permission from Cornell University to base my quilt on photographs in their collection dating from the 1930s.

I used various innovative techniques and a lot of yarns to create the heavily textured treetrunk and ivory-billed woodpeckers, as well as commercial batiks and my own hand-dyed fabrics. The background is, as usual, densely quilted to sketch in the rest of the forest in the swamp and yet another woodpecker flying upwards through the trees. For a closer look at the quilting, visit my blog and click on the October 2005 archives, then scroll to the post "What Secrets Do the Forest Hold" on October 17. If you click on the photos, especially the close-up, you'll see much better detail. Warning...if you're on dial-up, this may take a while!

Size 28x32 inches. Available for sale through the Ducktrap Bay Trading Company. Please contact them for sales information, purchase and shipping.